Road crash claims 18 lives, injures 22 others on Niger road

A road crash involving a heavy-duty truck at Wuya village along the Bida-Mokwa Road in Gbako Local Government Area of Niger State has claimed the lives of 18 people.

The truck crashed into a bridge at a sharp bend in the area on Wednesday morning.

Aishatu Sa’adu, the Niger State Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), who confirmed the incident, explained that it was a lone crash involving a heavy-duty truck loaded with goods and carrying 42 passengers, comprising one female and 41 males.

According to her, “The incident took place in the early hours of Wednesday when the driver lost control of the vehicle, causing it to fall into a bridge at Wuya.”

She explained that when the accident occurred, the only female passenger and 17 male passengers died on the spot, while 22 male passengers sustained various degrees of injuries and two others were rescued without injuries.

Those who died, she explained, were deposited at the hospital’s mortuary, while those who were injured are receiving treatment at the Federal Medical Centre, Bida.

The Sector Commander advised drivers against driving when feeling sleepy, saying that the accident happened as a result of fatigue.